Proposed Road To Hospital Worries Neighbors

January 23, 1990|By STEPHANIE SHARPE Staff Writer

GLOUCESTER — What appears from site plans to be a straight-forward proposal for a second entrance into Riverside Middle Peninsula Hospital has neighboring residents looking for a "hidden agenda among hospital directors," said one Gloucester Court House resident.

Gary L. Anderson, along with several other of Riverside's neighbors, plans to ask the county transportation and safety board at its meeting tonight to examine the hospital's intentions more closely before approving its proposal. The neighbors are wondering if Riverside is planning eventual commercial development along the road.

FOR THE RECORD - Published correction ran Wednesday, January 24, 1990. An article misidentified the administrator of Riverside Middle Peninsula Hospital as Bill Downing. His name is Bill Downey.

The board has scheduled a citizens forum on transportation concerns throughout the county for 7:30 in the Courts and Office Building at Gloucester Court House.

In his written proposal to the county community development office, hospital administrator Bill Downing said the intended 1,350-foot-long access road from Main Street just north of Roaring Springs Road to the back of the hospital will "enhance safe access of emergency vehicles to hospital facilities." County planners and Virginia Department of Transportation engineers agree that access from Main Street would be safer for ambulances than the hospital's entrance on Route 17. And the transportation department has approved the proposal.

Anderson and his neighbors are afraid Riverside will use that access road to "open up commercial development opportunities in an area that has traditionally been residential and should remain residential," he said.

"If all Riverside is concerned with is safety, why don't they just extend the access lane on Route 17 to go all the way from their entrance to Main Street," Anderson said. "That would still serve to keep their emergency vehicles off of the busy highway. And that would be much cheaper than building a new road.

"Main Street is the entrance into the historical section of Gloucester. Those of us who live here want to see the environment and integrity of the street preserved. Riverside hasn't even attempted to discuss its proposal with any neighboring landowners. We just think we have the right to know their in tentions."

Although Downing could not be reached for comment, the county community development director, Jeff Haughney, said the hospital would be required to go through the county Planning Commission and seek a public rezoning hearing before any commercial development.

"At this point, all we've got is a private landowner asking for access from his proposed private road to a public road, Main Street." Haughney said. "No one from the hospital has approached me officially or otherwise about developing along that proposed road.

"The county is as concerned as its citizens about preserving the historical integrity of the Court House area. But, it may very well turn out that a proposal for commercial development would conform to our comprehensive plan with certain restrictions that would preserve the integrity of the area. When and if that time comes, I feel strongly that the Planning Commission needs to address such a proposal - with public imput."